Healthy home

The factsheets, case studies and articles in this section are all about achieving a healthy home.

Research shows that home environments and occupant health are intrinsically linked. That’s not surprising. We spend a great deal of time indoors - 75-90%. For those most vulnerable - infants and the elderly - time spent indoors is often greater.

But many New Zealand homes are downright unhealthy. Home health depends on three main aspects: air quality (levels of pollutants, particulates, and toxins), moisture levels and temperatures. Many New Zealand homes fail to meet minimum World Heath Organisation (WHO) standards in at least one of these areas.

Air quality

Of course, there are air pollutants everywhere. But those inside are 1000-times more likely to be inhaled than outdoor ones. Pollutants include volatile organic compounds (VOCs), respirable particulates, gasses, fungi, bacteria and dustmites.

VOCs come from the chemicals in construction materials, furniture, paint, carpets and household products. They are highest after a home has been built or renovated. While many are in low concentrations, together they can form a potent cocktail of harmful compounds, causing nose and throat irritations, respiratory problems and also cardiovascular disease.

Gasses like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone are present in high levels in some New Zealand homes, especially those with gas heaters (35%) that are not vented to the outside. Gas cookers, open fires and vehicle emissions from attached garages are also responsible. These gases reduce immunity, cause coughing and sneezing, prolong the effects of colds and flu and result in more, and more severe, asthma attacks. Even small amounts of carbon monoxide cause tiredness and clumsiness, loss of concentration, nausea, dizziness and headaches.

Moisture

High moisture levels:

encourage the growth of moulds, fungi, dust mites and mildew- almost half of New Zealand’s homes (45%) are mouldy. Mould and fungi, like dustmites, are proven to exacerbate respiratory illnesses like asthma. While mould is inevitable to some degree, it multiplies fastest in damp, poorly insulated and badly ventilated houses - the majority of our homes fall into this category.

make your home harder to heat which can also contribute to health problems for you and your children, and make your power bills higher

Unhealthy temperatures

Our homes are also cold - unacceptably so, according to WHO. Research shows that many of our homes are as much as 6°C colder than the minimum temperatures recommended by the World Health Organisation for good health (18°C in living rooms in the evening and 16°C in bedrooms overnigh). Quite simply, people in cold homes are more likely to get sick.